mstrjx
Posts: 2045
Joined: 11/27/2005 Status: offline
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I'll slug away at this, because I'm just a slugging sort of guy. I believe in the difference between submissive and slave. I define that difference in 'being able to allow another all manner of choices and decisions' or 'not' (some, but not all). In the books, this is shorthand for 'surrender'. I know that surrender can be partial for some, but this is my one-word deliniation. So be it. I do not feel that submissives are any more or less than slaves. But I do see it as on a continuum of sorts. 'A' has given 80% authority/control/whatever to 'Y', but 'B' has given 100% of his/herself to 'Z'. It's a choice that people make that feels right for their situation. But this fall's into being X's slave or submissive. Some people, for their particular circumstances, CANNOT give of themselves and/or their circumstances and/or their control in certain aspect of their lives, for valid reasons. They can only achieve, let's say, 80% of their autonomy. 1) That is OK. 2) They understand that slavery, as defined above, is not for them. Others, even if unowned, understand that, under the right circumstances, the right owner at the right time, etc., that they CAN enter into a TPE situation. I feel that they 'can' or 'have the right to' call themselves slaves, even with an unowned status. I do not feel that they are marking themselves 'better'. I do feel that they are stating that full ownership of them is possible. Not better. Different. It's part of knowing yourself and your limitations (or lack thereof). It's really no different from the otherside. There are people who understand implicitly that ownership is something that is possible for them, and others who understand that they are not interested or capable in that. That's fine too. I understand that labels are problematic if everyone is not on the same page, such as this forum. But when a person understands where they are (or their potential) in this 'world', they know what sorts of people or situations are compatible with them. A 'slave' might not be interested in a relationship with someone who cannot 'own'. Having said that, their personalities and other intangibles might click in such a way that the slave doesn't feel that TPE is necessary for that relationship, or the 'non-owner' might become inspired to find ownership more possible and/or interesting (more RIGHT for themselves). It's all part of the journey of our understanding of ourselves and our natures. Jeff
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Know thyself. It's the best gift you can ever give yourself.
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